Cylinder lock assembly

ABSTRACT

A cylinder lock assembly including a cylinder portion, a barrel portion rotatably disposed on the cylinder portion, a plastic cover support member disposed in a cavity at the outboard end of the barrel portion, the support member having a wall portion with a beveled edge protruding beyond the confines of the cavity, a cover disc disposed over the cavity and engaging the beveled edge of the wall portion, and a retaining ring attached to the cylinder portion and engaging the cover disc in line contact to retain the latter on the lock assembly. The retaining ring forcibly urges the cover disc against the beveled edge thereby resiliently deforming the latter so that the cover disc is tightly pressed against the retaining ring to effect a seal against foreign matter intrusion.

0 United States Patent [1 1 n 11 3,754,423

Seidewand Aug. 28, 1973 CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY ggrgi e gobertl wolfe [75] Inventor: Edward R sddewud, Rochester, Attorney-Warren E. Fmken, Saul Schwartz et al.

N.Y. 73 Assignee: General Motors Corporation, [57] ABSTRACT Detroit, Mich. A cylinder lock assembly including a cylinder portion, I a barrel portion rotatably disposed on the cylinder por- [22] Filed July 1972 tion, a plastic cover support member disposed in a cav- [21] Appl. No.: 274,218 ity at the outboard end of the barrel portion, the support member having a wall portion with a beveled edge protruding beyond the confines of the cavity, a cover [52] U.S. Cl. 70/455 disc disposed over the cavity and engaging the beveled 1325261732 edge of the wall portion, and a retaining ring attached 5 I to the cylinder portion and engaging the cover disc in line contact to retain the latter on the lock assembly. [56] Re'erenm Cited The retaining ring forcibly urges the cover disc against UNITED STATES PATENTS the beveled edge thereby resiliently deforming the lat- 2,690,07 l 9/1954 Jacobi 70/455 ter so that the cover disc is tightly pressed against the 2,932,186 4/1960 Mahrley 70/455 retaining to effect a seal against foreign matter in- 3,263,463 8/1966 Duval 70/455 tmsim 3,705,508 12/1972 Fritsch 70/373 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures {Z i \x Q CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY This invention relates generally to lock assemblies and more particularly to cylinder type lock assemblies. Virtually all cylinder type lock assemblies include a cylinder portion adapted for rigid attachment to a mounting structure, as for example the outer panel of an automobile door, and a barrel portion rotatably disposed within the cylinder portion. Further, the barrel portion normally has connected thereto an actuating member or cam adapted to operate a remote mechanism, as for example a part of an automobile type door latch assembly, in response to rotation of the barrel portion and normally includes locking means for selectively preventing rotation of the barrel portion except upon insertion into a kay slot therein of a properly coded key. Such locking mechanisms almost invariably include a plurality of relatively small movable elements which are sensitive to the presence of foreign matter and especially moisture which, in cold climates, is subject to jam the locking mechanism by freezing. Accordingly, in applications where the lock assembly might be subjected to severe environmental conditions some provision must be made to prevent the intrusion into the key slot of foreign matter. Typically, foreign matter protection is effected by a disc covering the barrel portion of the lock assembly, the disc being biased outboard against a retaining ring rigidly attached to the cylinder portion of the assembly. Usually, the cover disc is held tightly against the retaining ring by a plurality of small springs disposed between the barrel portion and the cover disc. This structure, while accomplishing the desired result, is relatively difficult to assemble because of the necessity of maintaining the positions of the relatively small springs during several stages of the assembly procedure. A lock assembly according to this invention represents an improved cylinder lock construction which may be more economically assembled and which improves the resistance of the lock assembly. to foreign matter intrusion.

Accordingly, the primary feature of this invention is that is provides an improved cylinder type lock assembly. Another feature of this invention is that it provides an improved cylinder type lock assembly particularly adapted for efficient and economical assembly and for improved resistance to foreign matter intrusion. Yet another feature of this invention is that it provides an improved cylinder type lock assembly including a cylinder portion, a rotatable barrel portion, and a cover member for sealing the outboard end of the barrel portion against foreign matter intrusion, the cover member being biased outboard into sealing engagement against a retaining ring by a unitary plastic support member housed in a cavity within the barrel portion and resiliently engaging the inboard surface of the cover member to effect the seal between the cover member and the retaining ring. A further feature of this invention resides in the provision in the lock assembly of a unitary plastic support member adapted for reception in a cylindrical cavity in the barrel portion and including a base portion and an upstanding wall portion the distal end of which is beveled to provide a resiliently deformable edge section engageable on the inboard surface of the cover disc for biasing the latter outboard against the retaining ring. A still further feature of this invention resides in the provision in the lock assembly of a plastic support member further including a pair of flexible lips which meet at an interface outboard of the kay slot but inboard of the cover disc to provide a secondary seal for the key slot, the lips resiliently yielding to permit penetration of the key into the key slot.

These and other features of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and from the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a cylinder type lock assembly according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 but showing a modified construction; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the plastic support member.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, thereshown in fragmentary sectional view is the outboard end of a cylinder type lock assembly designated generally 10, the assembly including a cylinder portion 12 and a barrel portion 14 rotatably disposed within the cylinder portion. The cylinder portion 12 is adapted for rigid attachment to a supporting panel structure, not shown, by conventional means and includes an enlarged head or outboard end 16 defining an annular flange 18. The barrel portion 14 includes an outboard flanged head 20, a generally cylindrical cavity 22 in the head opening outboard with resect to the cylinder portion, and a key slot 24 extending longitudinally of the barrel portion generally the entire length thereof and opening into the cavity 22. The barrel portion supports therewithin a locking mechanism, not shown, as for example a conventional side bar type mechanism, adapted to selectively lock the barrel portion 14' against rotation relative to the cylinder portion 12. For a more detailed description of a side bar type locking mechanism, reference may be made to US. Pat. No. 2,949,762 issued on Aug. 23, 1960 to Theodore H. Johnstone and assigned to the Assignee of this invention. It will be understood, of course, that the side bar. type locking mechanism is only one type of locking mechanism which may be incorporated in the lock assembly according to this invention and that other conventional locking mechanisms are equally applicable.

The cylinder lock assembly 10 further includes a cover assembly 26 including a slightly convex cover disc 28 and a shutter assembly 30. The disc 28 is circular in configuration andincludes a key aperture 32, the diameter of the disc being slightly greater than the diameter of the cavity 22 in the barrel portion 14. The shutter assembly 30 includes a pair of spaced lugs rig idly attached to the inboard surface of the disc 28 generally at opposite ends of the key aperture 32, only one lug 34 being shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The lugs rigidly support a pin 36 and the pin pivotally supports a shutter 38 for movement between a closed position, FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein a portion of the shutter closes the key aperture 32 from behind the disc and an open position, not shown, pivoted counterclockwise from the closed position. A torsion spring 40 coiled about the pin 36 bears at one end against the shutter and at the other end against the disc 28 thereby to bias-the shutter toward the closed position.

Referring particularly now to FIGS. 1 and 3, the lock assembly further includes a unitary cover support member designated generally 42. The cover support member 42 is generally cup-shaped in configuration and includes a base portion 44 and an integral wall portion 46. As seen best in FIG. 3, the wall portion 46 extends generally perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the base portion 44 and, in the embodiment shown, is divided into two diametrically opposed and, consequently, symmetrical wall sections 47. The base portion 44 is generally circular in configuration and includes a rectangular slot 48. The cup shape configuration of the cover support member 42 corresponds generally to the cylindrical configuration of the cavity 22 in the barrel portion 14 of the lock assembly, so that the support member is adapted for seating disposition within the cavity, the slot 48 registering with the outboard end of the key slot 24 in the barrel portion, FIG. I. The height of each wall section 47 slightly exceeds the depth of the cavity 22 so that each wall section projects outboard beyond the confines of the cavity. As seen best in FIG. 3, the outboard end of each wall section 47 is beveled, as at 50, the bevel extending generally from the tip of the wall section inboard to the lip of the cavity 22 in the barrel portion.

The cover support member 42 is preferably fabricated by conventional molding techniques from a plastic type material such as cured elastomer, nylon, or the like. When so fabricated, the wall sections exhibit a predetermined amount of inherent resiliency. Further, the bevels 50 on each wall section define edges which exhibit substantially more resilience than the remainder or body of the wall section. Accordingly, the beveled edges, when compressed, generate a resilient resisting force on the object effecting compression.

As seen best in FIG. 1, the cover support member 42 is disposed in the cavity 22 with the slot 48 in register with the key slot 24 and with the resilient edge sections on each wall section 47 of the wall portion 46 projecting outboard of the barrel portion 14. The inboard surface of the disc 28 seats on each of the resilient edge sections and generally completely shields the cover support member and the cavity 22, the key aperture 32 being aligned with the slots 48 and 24 and the shutter assembly 30 being disposed within the interior of the cover support member. The cover support member is retained on the lock assembly by a retaining ring 52 bent around the outboard portion 16 of the cylinder portion 12 and spun over the annular flange 18.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the retaining ring 52 is slightly inwardly dished to engage the outboard surface of the disc 28 generally in circular line contact, as at 54. The retaining ring forcibly urges the disc 28 inwardly against the edge sections of the wall portion 46 thereby resiliently deforming the latter, FIG. 1. The resilient deformation of the edge sections functions to firmly seat the cover support member 32 in the cavity 22 while simultaneously exerting an outwardly directed force on the disc 28 thereby to effect a substantially weather tight seal in the area of the line contact 54 between the retaining ring and the disc.

In operation, with the lock assembly rigidly attached to a supporting panel structure, as for example a vehicle door outer panel, the shutter 38 normally closes the key aperture 32 in the disc to prevent intrusion of moisture and other foreign matter through the key aperture. Similarly, the seal in the area of the line contact 54 prevents foreign matter intrusion around the disc. When it is desired to actuate the remote mechanism through rotation of the barrel portion of the lock assembly 10, a properly coded key, not shown, is inserted in the key aperture 32 and through the slot 48 into the key slot 24, the shutter 38 being pivoted to the open position by the key during the insertion procedure. After the key is fully inserted the barrel portion 14 is rotated causing simultaneous rotation of the cover support member 42 and the cover assembly 26, the disc 28 sliding relative to the retaining ring 52 at the line contact 54 therebetween. Subsequently, when the key is withdrawn, the spring 40 biases the shutter 38 back to the closed position, FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 2, thereshown is a modified cover support member designated generally 56 disposed in the cavity 22 of the barrel portion 14 inboard of the cover assembly 26. The modified support member includes a base portion 58 and a wall portion 60, the latter again comprising a pair of diametrically opposed wall sections having beveled outboard edge sections 62. The base portion 58 of the support member 56 is modified to include a pair of integral lips 64 selfbiased to a normal closed position, FIG. 2, wherein the lips define a generally flat surface overlying the key slot 24. Lips 64 meet at an interface 66 aligned with the key slot 24 and the key aperture 32 in the disc 28. Accordingly, the lips 64 form a secondary closure behind the shutter 38 to provide added resistance to foreign matter intrusion into the key slot 24.

When the key is inserted into the key aperture 32, the shutter 38 is first pivoted from the closed to the open position whereafter the nose of the key engages the lips 64 at the interface 66 to effect downward deflection of the lips into a conical portion 68 of the barrel portion 14. The lips 64 thereby wipe the key clean of foreign matter during the insertion procedure to even further protect against foreign matter intrusion.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the provision of a unitary plastic cover support member, as opposed to a plurality of relatively small coil springs, for the purpose of outwardly biasing the cover assembly permits substantial simplification of the assembly procedure for the cylinder lock assembly 10. More particularly, .with a unitary cover support member there are no problems of maintaining the alignment of the small coil springs within the barrel portion 14 during assembly of the disc on the barrel portion. Further, the problems normally associated with handling large numbers of relatively small components is completely eliminated. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that while the wall portions 46 and 60'of the support members 42 and 56 are formed into two diametrically opposed wall sections, it is perfectly feasible to provide a single generally cylindrically shaped wall section, the choice being a matter of design convenience.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. In a lock assembly including a cylinder portion, a barrel portion disposed on said cylinder portion for rotation relative to the latter, said barrel portion having a key slot extending generally the entire length thereof opening into an enlarged cavity therein adjacent the outboard end of said cylinder portion, and lock means on said barrel portion responsive to insertion in and withdrawal of a key from said key slot for selectively locking said barrel portion against rotation relative to said cylinder portion, the improvement comprising, a cover support member disposed in said cavity and including a base portion conforming generally to the configuration of the base of said cavity and an integral side wall portion extending generally parallel to the sides of said cavity, means on said wall portion defining an integral resiliently deformable edge section projecting outboard of the confines of said cavity, a cover member having a key aperture therein, said cover being disposed over said cavity with said key aperture in register with said key slot and in engagement on said edge section of said wall portion, and retainer means rigidly attached to said cylinder portion and slidably engaging said cover member thereby to retain the latter on said lock assembly, said retainer means forcibly urging said cover member against said edge section thereby to effect resilient defonnation of the latter for generating a substantially weather tight seal between said retainer means and said cover member.

2. In a lock assembly including a cylinder portion, a barrel portion disposed on said cylinder portion for rotation relative to the latter, said barrel portion including a key slot extending generally the entire length thereof opening into an enlarged generally cylindrical cavity disposed adjacent the outboard end of said cylinder portion, and tumbler means on said barrel portion responsive to insertion in and withdrawal of a key from said key slot for selectively locking said barrel portion against rotation relative to said cylinder portion, the improvement comprising, a generally cup-shaped cover support member disposed in said cavity andincluding a base portion conforming to the configuration of the base of said cavity and an integral symmetrical wall portion extending generally parallel to the sides of said cavity, said wall portion projecting outboard beyond the confines of said cavity and being beveled at the distal end thereof to define a resiliently deformable edge section of said wall portion, a cover disc having a key aperture therein, said cover disc being disposed over said cavity with said key aperture in register with said key slot and in engagement on said wall portion edge section, and retainer means rigidly attached to said cylinder and slidably engaging said cover disc thereby to retain the latter on said lock assembly, said retainer means forcibly urging said cover disc against said edge section thereby to effect resilient deformation of the latter for generating a substantially weather tight seal between said retainer means and said cover disc.

3. In a lock assembly including a cylinder portion, a

barrel portion disposed on said cylinder portion for rotation relative to the latter, said barrel portion including a key slot extending generally the entire length thereof opening into an enlarged generally cylindrical cavity disposed adjacent the outboard end of said cylinder portion, and tumbler means on said barrel portion responsive to insertion in and withdrawal of a key from said'key slot for selectively locking said barrel portlon against rotation relative to said cylinder portion, the improvement comprising, a generally cup-shaped plastic cover support member disposed in said cavity and including a base portion defining a segment of a circle and a pair of integral diametrically opposed side walls extending generally parallel to the sides of said cavity, each of said side walls projecting outboard beyond the confines of said cavity and being beveled at the distal end thereof to define a resiliently deformable edge section on each of said side walls, a cover disc having a key aperture therein, shutter means on said cover disc adapted to normally close said key aperture, said cover disc being disposed over said cavity in engagement on said side wall edge sections with said key aperture in register with said key slot and with said shutter means projecting into said cavity, and a retaining ring rigidly attached to said cylinder portion and slidably engaging said cover disc substantially in line contact thereby to retain the said cover disc on said lock assembly, said retaining ring forcibly urging said cover disc against each of said edge sections thereby to effect resilient deformation of the latter for generating a substantially weather tight seal between said retaining ring and said cover disc.

4. The improvement recited in claim 3 wherein said base portion includes an opposed pair of integral lips self-biased to form a generally flat surface outboard of said key slot for preventing the intrusion thereinto of foreign matter and adapted for separation along an interface aligned with said key slot upon insertion of a key through said cover disc key aperture and into said key slot. 7 

1. In a lock assembly including a cylinder portion, a barrel portion disposed on said cylinder portion for rotation relative to the latter, said barrel portion having a key slot extending generally the entire length thereof opening into an enlarged cavity therein adjacent the outboard end of said cylinder portion, and lock means on said barrel portion responsive to insertion in and withdrawal of a key from said key slot for selectively locking said barrel portion against rotation relative to said cylinder portion, the improvement comprising, a cover support member disposed in said cavity and including a base portion conforming generally to the configuration of the base of said cavity and an integral side wall portion extending generally parallel to the sides of said cavity, means on said wall portion defining an integral resiliently deformable edge section projecting outboard of the confines of said cavity, a cover member having a key aperture therein, said cover being disposed over said cavity with said key aperture in register with said key slot and in engagement on said edge section of said wall portion, and retainer means rigidly attached to said cylinder portion and slidably engaging said cover member thereby to retain the latter on said lock assembly, said retainer means forcibly urging said cover member against said edge section thereby to effect resilient deformation of the latter for generating a substantially weather tight seal between saiD retainer means and said cover member.
 2. In a lock assembly including a cylinder portion, a barrel portion disposed on said cylinder portion for rotation relative to the latter, said barrel portion including a key slot extending generally the entire length thereof opening into an enlarged generally cylindrical cavity disposed adjacent the outboard end of said cylinder portion, and tumbler means on said barrel portion responsive to insertion in and withdrawal of a key from said key slot for selectively locking said barrel portion against rotation relative to said cylinder portion, the improvement comprising, a generally cup-shaped cover support member disposed in said cavity and including a base portion conforming to the configuration of the base of said cavity and an integral symmetrical wall portion extending generally parallel to the sides of said cavity, said wall portion projecting outboard beyond the confines of said cavity and being beveled at the distal end thereof to define a resiliently deformable edge section of said wall portion, a cover disc having a key aperture therein, said cover disc being disposed over said cavity with said key aperture in register with said key slot and in engagement on said wall portion edge section, and retainer means rigidly attached to said cylinder and slidably engaging said cover disc thereby to retain the latter on said lock assembly, said retainer means forcibly urging said cover disc against said edge section thereby to effect resilient deformation of the latter for generating a substantially weather tight seal between said retainer means and said cover disc.
 3. In a lock assembly including a cylinder portion, a barrel portion disposed on said cylinder portion for rotation relative to the latter, said barrel portion including a key slot extending generally the entire length thereof opening into an enlarged generally cylindrical cavity disposed adjacent the outboard end of said cylinder portion, and tumbler means on said barrel portion responsive to insertion in and withdrawal of a key from said key slot for selectively locking said barrel portIon against rotation relative to said cylinder portion, the improvement comprising, a generally cup-shaped plastic cover support member disposed in said cavity and including a base portion defining a segment of a circle and a pair of integral diametrically opposed side walls extending generally parallel to the sides of said cavity, each of said side walls projecting outboard beyond the confines of said cavity and being beveled at the distal end thereof to define a resiliently deformable edge section on each of said side walls, a cover disc having a key aperture therein, shutter means on said cover disc adapted to normally close said key aperture, said cover disc being disposed over said cavity in engagement on said side wall edge sections with said key aperture in register with said key slot and with said shutter means projecting into said cavity, and a retaining ring rigidly attached to said cylinder portion and slidably engaging said cover disc substantially in line contact thereby to retain the said cover disc on said lock assembly, said retaining ring forcibly urging said cover disc against each of said edge sections thereby to effect resilient deformation of the latter for generating a substantially weather tight seal between said retaining ring and said cover disc.
 4. The improvement recited in claim 3 wherein said base portion includes an opposed pair of integral lips self-biased to form a generally flat surface outboard of said key slot for preventing the intrusion thereinto of foreign matter and adapted for separation along an interface aligned with said key slot upon insertion of a key through said cover disc key aperture and into said key slot. 